Buffing-machine.



PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904. W. A. PARMENTER. BUFFING MACHINE. APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 19. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wm imam) PATENTED NOV. 29

W. A. PARMENTER. BUFFING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1904,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SH) MODEL.

lllllllillllllllllllllllli 'wz z/easasz NITE STATES Patented November 9, 1904.

WILLIAM A. PARIWIENTER, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES S. PIERCE, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUFFlNG-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,417, dated November 29, 1904. Application filed February 19, 1904. Serial No. 194,320- (No model.)

To all whom, it 1nct7 concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. PARMENTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, inthe county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Bufling-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel buffing-Inachine, the mechanism of which as I have herein chosen to illustrate my invention is adapted for bufling leather used in the production of boots and shoes, especially in box-toes and heel-stiffeners.

My novel machine includes a traveling bed provided with one or more stock-supports on which the pieces of stock of desired shape are laid, the stock-support in its movement causing the stock to be subjected to one or more rotatable buiIing-cylinders, preferably two cylinders, one cylinder-the first one to act-having a coarser abrasive surface than the second cylinder. The shaped pieces of stock to be buffed are laid on the stock-supports and are positioned thereon by positioning means, shown as retractile or spring-sustained pins which are automatically withdrawn as the stock passes under the buffingcylinders, the withdrawal of the pins taking place only at such time and at such points with relation to the movement of the stock under the cylinders as will prevent their contact with the periphery of the cylinder where tangent to the stock, it being understood, should said pins not be withdrawn, that the cylinders would strike the pins and the action of the cylinder in abrading the stock to a thin edge could not be done. The positioning means by acting against the edges of the stock maintain the same correctly on the stock-supports and the stock may be correctly presented to the bufling cylinders, and by withdrawing only a part of the pins at any one time the remaining pins are enabled to prevent any slipping or displacement of the stock on the several stock-supports. The

framework of the machine outside the travcling bed sustains a series of rolling pressers that act on the upper side of the stock to keep it seated on the stoclosupport. In connection with the buffing-cylinders I employ stockholding rollers, made as conical sleeves loosely sustained on guides and acted upon at one end by a spring which permits the conical sleeves in their rotation to move longitudinally of the guide-rods as the work varies in thickness. Between the first holding roller or conical sleeve to act on the stock and the buffing-cylinder I employ a series of spring-lingers that bear on the stock close to the point where the buffing-cylinder contacts therewith.

Figure 1 in side elevation represents a machine embodying my invention to be herein described. Fig. 2 is a view looking at the left of Fig. 1, chiefly to show the gearing employed for rotating the bufiing-cylinders. Fig. 3 is a section in the line a2, Fig. 4, showing one of the pressers acting upon the stock to be bufied, the latter lying on the stock-support. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the movable traveling bed, its stock-supports, presser-rollers, the stockholding rollers, and spring-fingers to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 5 is a detail showing in dotted lines a bufiEing-cylinder and holding-rollers, the latter acting on stock on a stock-support supposed to be moving under the buffing-roller. Fig. 6 is adetail showing one of the stock-supports and stock-discharging means. Fig. 7 shows a piece of stock that has been skived about its edges and to be buffed. Fig. 8 shows the stock buffed or made thinner that it may be used for a toe-cap or in a heelstiffener or other place in a shoe.

The framework of the machine comprises a plate A, upon which is erected a bearing-stand A for sustaining an upright shaft A having a worm-toothed gear A, that is engaged and rotated by a worm A on a shaft A sustained in suitable depending bearings A and having a belt-wheel A over which is extended a belt B (represented by dotted lines,) said belt re- Volving a brush B, to be described. The shaft A will be driven from any counter shaft through suitable fast and loose or usual clutchpulleys, (represented by dotted lines A said pulleys being of any usual or suitable kind and not of my invention.

The plate A has erected on it two stands B, one only being shown in Fig. 1, and two like stands B B These stands sustain like horizontal shafts B, having each at one end abevelpinion B, that is engaged and rotated by a bevel-wheel B, fast on the shaft A Each shaft B", constituting the prime shaft for driving each of the two sets of stock-holding rollers at opposite sides of the like buffing-cylinders B B has at its outer end a pinion G, that (see Fig. 2) through intermediate gears U C and smaller gears C (1* rotate like shafts C sustained in boxes 20 in legs extended from said stands and in like depending legs C, forked, as represented in Fig. 1, and held in position by screws m. The bearings 21 are acted upon by springs 3 that serve normally to maintain the outer ends of said shafts in a yielding manner that the conical sleeves a, carried thereby and splined loosely thereon, may adapt themselves to the thickness of the stock being buffed, said conical sleeves being also free to slide longitudinally on said shafts against the action of springs according to variation in thickness of the stock.

The overhanging part B of each upright has a stud D, on which is mounted a yoke D, having bearings for the shafts D on which are mounted the buffing-cylinders B B there being one such shaft for each cylinder. Each shaft has at its outer end a suitable belt-pulley D over which may be extended a belt driven from any usual counter-shaft that the buflfing-cylinders may be rotated at any desired speed, the first bufling-cylinder, as B to act on the stock being preferably coated with a coarser buffing or abrasive substance than that carried by the bUfling-cylinder B it being desirable that the first cylinder to act may take off a larger amount of stock in reducing the thickness thereof by bulfing, the second cylinder to act, covered with finer material, polishing and leaving a smoother surface than the first cylinder to act. By pivoting the yokes D on the overhanging portion B of the uprights and providing the adjusting devices Di shown as screws, the yokes may be adjusted vertically or tipped to adapt the peripheries of the buffing-cylinders tojust the position de sired according to the work being acted upon.

The upper end of shaft A receives upon it the hub of the revolving table D so that said table is rotated by said shaft at a speed determined by the shaft A. The under side of the bed, especially at points opposite where the buffing-cylinders act, is sustained by antifriction-rollers mounted in brackets 6', held in position by set-screws 5 The bed D sustains a series of stock-supports dd (Z (Z each having end legs (P, provided with dowel-pins that enter the bed, (see dotted lines, Figs. 5 and 6,) said supports being held in working position thereon by turn-buttons (Z extended from vertical shafts having handles 6 said buttons engaging lips (Z connected with the under side of each support. The upper sides of these work-supports are cupped or worked out, as shown in the bed (Z, (represented in cross-section, Fig. 3,) the space so made receiving a piece of stock (Z which has been skived about its edge, as at (l Fig. 7, upon its flesh side. The hair or grain side of the piece of stock is laid on the stock-support and in said depression. The buffing-cylinders will thereafter act to buff the flesh side of the stock and leave it in the condition Fig. 8, where it will be seen that the inclined face made by skiving the stock, as shown in Fig. 7, is carried almost or substantially to the center portion of the stock. Each stock-support is provided with a series of holes, that receive loosely a series of positioning devices, shown as pins, numbered from 2 to 9, said pins being arranged in pairs, as 2 3, 4: 5, &c. of pins is jointed to an arm 6 of a rock-shaft e, sustained in the work-supports, one end of each of said rock-shafts being bent to form arms 0 against which bear springs 0 said springs acting normally to hold said rockshafts in position to keep said pairs of pins in their elevated positions to contact withthe edge of the stock 6Z5 and constitute positioning means therefor. As the bed is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, the pairs of pins 2 3, 4 5, &c., must be retracted as the stock passes under the bufiing-cylinders to thereby obviate injuring the bufiing-material and while the periphery of each of said cylinders acts transversely of the stock in the line of said pins. To do this, I have provided pinretracting means, shown as cams f, fixed on the stationary part of the framework, against which said arms a strike one after the other that said pairs of pins may be retracted at the proper times, so that they cannot be struck by the bufiing-cylinders.

The bottom or frame plate A has erected upon it posts f, provided at their upper ends with bars f to which may be connected by screws yielding or springy arms f carrying presser-rollers f, that contact with the upper side of the stock near one edge, as shown in Fig. i, as the stock approaches each buffingcylinder.

One of the sleeve-like conical rollers a in front of each bufiing-cylinder is acted upon at its outer end by a spring a, while the roller located behind the buffing-cylinder is acted upon at its inner end by a spring (o These rollers are splined on the shafts C", rotated by means heretofore described, so that said rollers are rotated thereby, and said springs by sliding the rollers on said shafts enable the rollers to adapt themselves to any variations in the thickness of the separate pieces of stock coming under the bufiing-cylinders.

Between the rollers a in front of each buff- Each pair ing-cylinder and the point where the periphery of the buffing-cylinder contacts with the stock I have arranged a series of spring-fingers 9, under which the stock is moved, said fingers maintaining the stock closely in con tact with the stock-support. The stock will be supposed to have been buffed to the desired thickness after having passed the second cylinder; but it will be understood that I may employ any desired number of buffing-cylinders according to the work to be done, and thereafter the buffed piece of stock should be discharged from the machine. I have provided means for effecting the discharge of the stock automatically and have shownone form of means for that purpose. The means shown comprises afinger 9, (see full lines, Fig. 6, and dotted lines, Fig. 5,)contained in a slot in the work-support. The finger is connected with a rock-shaft (see Figs. 4 and 6,) having fast on one end thereof a dog 9 that is acted upon by a spring 9', said spring when controlling said dog normally retaining the finger depressed in the slot in the work support. When in the revolution of the bed a worksupport has passed the last buffing-cylinder and the work has been fully bufled, the upper end of said dog meets the under side of an inturned portion of a finger g and is turned by said contact to turn the rock-shaft and raise the finger into the position Fig. 6, thus lifting the advancing end of the buffed piece of stock (Z from the stock-support, as shown therein, so that as the bed continues to be revolved the raised end of the stock is caught by the pick-off ii, shown as a hook-shaped arm attached to a collar h, fastened by a set-screw b to a post If, erected on the frame-plate A. After passing the bailing-cylinders I need employ but one presser-roller if to bear on the stock. The ad justing-screws I) are rotatably mounted in plates m, connected to said overhanging arm by set-screws m I do not wish to limit this invention to the exact means shown in the drawings for effecting the results described, as it will be obvious that my invention is susceptible of various modifications and yet be Within the scope of the specification and the following claims, which are intended to cover any mere modifications.

The stock after it has been buffed by the last bufling-cylinder is passed under the brush B, that is rotated by the crossed belt B, deriving its motion from a pulley A on the main driving-shaft A Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s*

1. In a machine of the class described, a movable bed having a stock-support to sustain the stock, positioning devices to engage the edge of the stock on the stock-support, and means 'to withdraw said positioning devices from contact with the edge of the stock.

2. In a machine of the class described, a movable bed having a stocl\'-support provided with a plurality of positioning devices arranged in pairs, and means to withdraw said positioning devices in succession from contact with the edges of the stock.

3. In a machine of the class described, a stock-support, a plurality of spring-sustained positioning devices, and means to withdraw said positioning devices successively at the proper times.

I. In a machine of the class described, a movable bed having a plurality of stock-supports provided each with spring supported positioning devices, means to move said bed and its stock-supports, and means to withdraw said positioning devices.

5. In a machine of the class described, a bed having a series of stock-supports concaved at their upper sides, yielding positioning devices to contact with the edges of and position said stock on said stock-supports, and means for buffing the face of the stock sustained by said stock-support.

6. In amachine of the class described, a bed having a series of stock-supports concaved at their upper sides, yielding positioning devices to contact with the edges of and position said stock on said stock-supports, and a pluralityof buflingcylinders acting in succession on the face of the stock sustained on said stocksupports.

7. In a machine of the class described, a bed having stock-supports to sustain stock to be bufled, a shaft, a conical sleeve mounted thereon to contact with and roll over the stock, and a spring acting normally on one end of said sleeve to enable it to slide on said shaft and automatically adapt itself to the thickness of the stock.

8. In a machine of the class described, a bed having a stock-support to sustain stock. to be buffed, a buffing-cylinder, means to rotate the same, conical sleeves located in front of and at the rear of said bufling-cylinder, and springs acting on said conical sleeves to cause their peripheries to adapt themselves to variations in thickness of the stock being acted upon.

9. In a machine of the class described, amovable bed having stock-supports to sustain the stock to be buffed, positioning devices to engage the edge of the stock on the stock-support, a bulfing-cylindcr, means to rotate the same, rollers at opposite sides said bulfingcylinder and adapted to roll over the stock in front of and behind said cylinders, and means to withdraw said positioning devices from contact with the edge of the stock in line with the point where the buffing-cylinder acts.

10. In a machine of the class described, a buifing-cylinder, tapered rollers at opposite sides thereof to roll over the stock, amovable bed carrying a plurality of stock-supports to sustain stock to be buffed, means to rotate said cylinder and move said bed with its stock-supports thereon, and a series of fingers to bear on the stock on its way under the buffing-cylinders at a point between said rollers.

11. In a machine of the class described, a movable bed, a stock-support thereon recessed at its upper side to sustain stock, and provided with a series of holes, a series of sliding positioning devices in said holes, and means to automatically retract said positioning devices during the movement of said stock-bed.

12. In a machine of the class described, a movable bed having a stock-support to sustain the stock to be buffed, positioning devices to engage the edge of the stock on the stock-support, a bufiing-cylinder to act upon the stock on the stock-support, means to withdraw said positioning devices from contact with the edge of the stock in the line of action of the bufling-cylinder thereon, and means for automatically discharging the buffed stock from the machine.

13. In a machine of the class described, a

movable bed, a series of independent stocksupports, and means to clamp the same thereon, said stock-supports having a series of holes, and pairs of slidable pins connected WILLIAM A. PARMENTER.

W'itnesses GEO. W. GREGORY, EDITH M. STODDARD 

